Negan and Rick face off in ‘Walking Dead’ Season 8 finale (Spoiler alert!)

April 16 (UPI) — Season 8 of The Walking Dead ended Sunday night with the zombie-apocalypse drama’s two warring factions facing off in a field.

Just as villain Negan’s Saviors attempted to shoot members of hero Rick Grimes’ community, their weapons malfunctioned, injuring them and destroying their firearms.

It was later revealed that Rick’s one-time ally Eugene, who was believed to have betrayed Rick and his group when he was captured by Negan, had actually sabotaged the weapons in order to save Rick and his old friends.

After the Saviors surrendered, Negan and Rick attacked each other. Negan seemed to have the upper hand until Rick told him he didn’t want to fight anymore. As Negan was starting to listen, Rick reached out and slashed his throat with a piece of broken glass, wounding, but not killing him.

Pregnant Maggie, Rick’s longtime friend, was furious that Rick didn’t finish Negan off because Negan had beaten to death her husband Glenn.

She later told Jesus that Rick was right to spare the Saviors’ lives and make peace with them, but that he was wrong about Negan and they needed to show him that at some point in the near future. Daryl overheard the conversation and agreed.

The episode ended with Rick and his girlfriend Michonne telling Negan they intend to rebuild civilization and will keep him imprisoned as an example to those who would violate its laws. Rick said he was doing this to honor his late son Carl, who envisioned a better life for everyone.